Method of overhauling meats during curing.



W. O. PYPES.

METHOD OF OVBRHAULING MEATS DURING DURING.

APPLIUATIOH'PILBD I'm-4, 1910.

Pafiented Mar. 21 1911.

4 jive/Zia?- UNITEE TATE T @FFIQE.

WILLIAM C. PYPES, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO ARMOUR &COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPGRATION OF ILLINOIS.

METHOD OF OVERHAULING MEATS DURING CURING.

b all wxmm it may concern:

Be it known that I, l/VILLIAM C. PYPES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State ofMissourhhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods ofOverhauling Meats During Curing, of which the following is aspecification.

In the curing of meat, hams for example, the pieces of meat are packedinto a solution with curing properties, such solution being ordinarilycomposed of water,salt and sugar. If such hams are allowed to rest uponor contact with one another during the entire time or period of curingwithout changing their positions, these portions of the hams in contactwith one another will not be properly cured because the liquid orsolution does not have proper access thereto. It has thereforeheretofore been customary to change the positions of the pieces of meator hams so as to vary their point of contact, and thereby securesubstantially uniform curing throughout. This may be done by removingthe hams or other pieces of meat from one receptacle to another, so thatas these pieces settle they will assume different positions from thosewhich they previously occupied, and will expose to the action of thecuring liquid those portions or parts thereof previously unsubjected tothe Curing process. Ihis handling of the meats or hams is more or lesstroublesome and expensive, and the present invention involves a methodof overhauling or redistributing such pieces of meat or hams to effectthe desired result indicated. The brine r curing solution is ordinarilyof sufficient specific gravity to cause the floating of the meats curedtherein, the latter being held down in the solution by any proper orsuitable means, and this invention involves the introduction of a fluid,preferably, though not necessarily, gas under pressure, into the curingliquid beneath the hams or other pieces of meat, so that as this fluidpasses upwardly it assists in floating and turning the hams, wherebyupon their set tling they assume new positions or relations, exposingtheir uncured parts or surfaces to the action of the brine.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated the carrying out ofthis improved method, and in these drawings,Figure 1 shows the positionsof the hams in the tank Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 4, 1910.

Patented Mar. 21, 15111.

Serial No. 542,098.

I or cask during curing; Fig. 2 indicates the I release of compressedair in the lower portion of the cask, and shows the hams fioating andturning, ready to settle in new positions; and Fig. 8 is a sectionaldetail, showing the means for holding the cover or ham retainer inposition.

By reference to this drawing, it will be I noted that in the carryingout of this improved process or method, a tank, cask or other container10 is substantially filled with a curing liquid 11, which in the case ofthe curing of hams is ordinarily composed of water, salt and sugar. Intothis liquid the hams 12 or other pieces of meat are intro duced, thebrine being ordinarily of sufiicient specific gravity or density tocause a floating of these hams, and in order to retain all of thembeneath the top surface of the liquid, I employ a cover 13 having a topcross bar 1-1, the ends of which are held beneath the inturned ears ofsuitable brackets 15 fastened to the inside of the cask at the top edgethereof. A pipe 16 having a quick-acting valve 17 extends downwardlybetween the hams to the bottom of the cask, where it is supplied with aninwardly extended end 18 reaching substantially to the middle of thebottom, being apertured on the top at 19 at this point.

When it is desired to overhaul or redistribute the hams to effect theuniform and satisfactory curing thereof, the top 13 is removed,permitting the hams to float, and a succession of discharges or blastsof compressed air is permitted to escape through the opening 19, asshown in Fig. 2, by reason of the proper manipulation of the valve 17.The escaping compressed air suddenly expands, and in its upward travelacts to dislodge, turn and agitate the hams in the manner indicated inFig. 2, and as soon as the series of blasts is discontinued, the hamsare again pressed down into the liquid by the introduction of the cover13, all of the hams assuming new positions and new points of contact. Inthis way an eflicient and effective curing of the meat is obtained, andat very slight expense in carrying out the overhauling or redistributingoperation indicated. It will be understood that this introduction ofcompressed air not only stirs up the pieces of meat, but also rendersthe solution more uniform in density. Those acquainted with this line ofindustry understand that the portions of the solution covering thepieces of meat become reduced in specific gravity owing to theabsorption of the salts in solution by the meat, and consequently suchoverhauling of the meat and stirring of the solution brings about a moreuniform density of the curing liquid. Furthermore, the introduction ofthe oxygen of such compressed air, aerates the solution and assists inits purification by the oxygenation of its impurities, permitting suchsolution to remain longer in a usable condition than has heretofore beenpossible.

Although I have mentioned the use of compressed air for the carrying outof this method, it is to be understood that liquids may be employed, ifdesired, or gases used in place of such air, and as examples I maymention the employment of oxygen or of ozonized air. Compressed air,however, acts satisfactorily, and is ordinarily readily accessible in apacking establishment.

It is to be understood that no special style or form of apparatus isnecessary in the performance of this improved method of overhauling oragitating meats, and although I have indicated that the escape ordischarge of a series of blasts of the compressed air is desirable, itis possible to satisfactorily carry on this process by using only asingle discharge of such air.

Many minor changes may be made in the method or process herein set forthwithout departing from the heart of the invention and without thesacrifice of any of its benefits and advantages, and it is therefore tobe understood that the invention is not limited and restricted to theexact and precise details mentioned above.

I claim:

1. The method of overhauling meats during curing in a liquid open to theatmosphere, which consists in'discharging a fluid under pressure intothe liquid beneath the 4! pieces of meat, whereby during the upwardtravel of said fluid through the liquid to bring about the overhaulingand redistribution of the pieces of meat and to secure puritication ofthe liquid, said fluid escaping at once into the atmosphere,substantially as described.

2. The method of overhauling meats during curing in a liquid open to theatmosphere, which consists in intermittently discharging a fluidcontaining oxygen under pressure into the liquid beneath the pieces ofmeat, whereby during the upward travel of the fluid through the liquidto bring about the m erhauling and redistribution of the pieces of meatand to secure purification of the liquid, such fluid escaping at oncefrom the liquid into the atmosphere, substantially as described.

3. The method of overhauling meats during curing in a liquid open to theatmosphere, which consists in intermittently discharging compressed airinto the liquid beneath the pieces of meat, whereby during the passageof such air upwardly through the liquid to bring about the overhaulingand redistribution of the pieces of meat and to secure purification ofthe liquid, such compressed air escaping at once into the atmosphere,substantially as described.

XVILLIAM G. PYPES.

\Vitnesses A. E. PURSEL, H. C. ALLEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). C.

